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A Video Review of "Hannibal"

Copyright 2003 Glenn Walker

One has to wonder if Thomas Harris had been pressured to write "Hannibal" by the success of the film The Silence of the Lambs. The book, the film sequel, even the title seem too deliberate. Neither of the first two books "Red Dragon" or "Silence" were just about Lector. There were other elements of story and plot, other characters. He alone as protagonist has me unsure of this before even going in.

The ending of The Silence of the Lambs leaves it obvious for a sequel and it would definitely involve the characters of Hannibal Lector and Clarice Starling. It is a damn shame they couldn't get Jodie Foster to reprise her role. Julianne Moore is an excellent actress, an Oscar nominee and winner, a consummate professional - but she is no Jodie Foster.

Hannibal is an all around disaster, from the disappointing screenplay by David Mamet to the shock value scenes designed to compete with its predecessors. I was bored incessantly by the whole Italy subplot and thought Ray Liotta and Gary Oldman were wasted as horrid cliches that only exist to make Lector's character more gruesome. Hannibal Lector's evil works best subtle and this film is anything but subtle.

I think we would have been better off without this sequel.